Last weekend’s fundraiser ball for Kahu Youth raised a whopping $60,000.

The sold-out ball, held at the Lake Wānaka Centre on Saturday (August 24), marked the youth charity’s 21st year of operation with a celebration featuring a three-course meal, live music and an auction.

It was also a fundraiser for the fit-out of Kahu Youth’s new premises at Paetara Aspiring Central.

“It has been so heart-warming to see the support across the Wānaka community,” Kahu Youth operations director Anna Sutherland said. 

The ball was sold out.

“In addition to being a wonderful evening and celebration of our young people, the event helped to raise both the profile of the organisation and the much-needed funds for our centre fit out.”

Anna said the auction had great support on the night.

Items up for auction included ‘Takuta #6’ by Darryn George, a portrait sitting by Stephen Martyn Welch, and ‘Heading up the Dingle’ by local artist Anna Reid, among many others. 

Kahu Youth has been using a mostly bare space while it has been fundraising for the fit-out, which began recently.

Once completed, it will feature a kitchen, art space, music room, study spaces and a range of activities including a pool and air hockey table, music and DJ gear, supervised gaming stations and outdoor ‘chill spaces’.

Read more: ‘Multi-use space’ being created for Kahu Youth

The facility is due to re-open in late September.

Anna thanked everyone involved who made the Forsyth Barr Winter Wonderland Ball in Association with Kāhu Youth possible.

“I would like to thank the organisers, partners, volunteers, attendees and generous auction bidders for their incredible support,” she said.

PHOTOS: Kahu Youth